Tafsir al-Uthaymin Juz Amma - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (293)

Tafsir al-Uthaymin Juz AmmaIbn al-'Uthaymin

fear, fatigue, or weariness.

As for the subject of the oath, it is man. Allah says: ﴿Indeed, man is truly ungrateful to his Lord﴾. “Man” here refers to mankind as a whole. That is, unless mankind is granted guidance, it is truly ungrateful, meaning ungrateful for the blessings of Allah—Mighty and Majestic. Allah—Glorified and Exalted is He—says: ﴿But man undertook it. Indeed, he was unjust and ignorant﴾ [al-Ahzāb: 72]. It has also been said that “man” here means the disbeliever. According to this interpretation, it is a general expression by which a particular class is intended. The more apparent interpretation, however, is that it is general: were it not for Allah’s guidance, mankind as a whole would be ungrateful to its Lord—Mighty and Majestic.

Ungratefulness here means denying His blessings. Allah—Mighty and Majestic—provides for a person, yet this provision only increases him in arrogance and aversion. Indeed, some people transgress when they see themselves as self-sufficient and independent of Allah. How often wealth has corrupted the children of Adam! Such a person is ungrateful for Allah’s blessings: he denies Allah’s favor, fails to give thanks for it, and fails to obey Allah, because he is ungrateful for His blessings.

﴿And indeed, he is surely a witness to that﴾. It has been said that the pronoun “he” refers to Allah; that is, Allah Most High bears witness that the servant is ungrateful for His blessings.

It has also been said that it refers to man himself; that is, man bears witness against himself that he is ungrateful for the blessings of Allah—Mighty and Majestic.

The correct view is that the verse encompasses both meanings. Allah is witness to what lies within the heart of the son of Adam and to his deeds, while man is likewise a witness against himself. He may acknowledge this testimony in this world, or he may not; but on the Day of Resurrection, he will testify against himself, as Allah Most High says: ﴿On the Day when their tongues, their hands, and their feet will testify against them concerning what they used to do﴾ [al-Nūr: 24].

﴿And indeed, he﴾—meaning man—﴿is ardent in his love of wealth﴾. “Good” here means wealth, as Allah Most High says: ﴿Prescribed for you, when death approaches any one of you, if he leaves wealth, is that he make a bequest﴾ [al-Baqara: 180]—that is, if he leaves considerable wealth. Thus, “good” here means wealth, and man’s love of wealth is readily apparent. Allah Most High says: ﴿And you love wealth

خوف ولا تعب ولا ملل. أما المقسم عليه فهو الإنسان فقال: ﴿إن الإنسان لربه لكنود﴾ والمراد بالإنسان هنا الجنس، أي أن جنس الإنسان، إذا لم يوفق للهداية فإنه ﴿لكنود﴾ أي كفور لنعمة الله ﷿ كما قال الله ﵎: ﴿وحملها الإنسان إنه كان ظلوماً جهولاً﴾ [الأحزاب: ٧٢] . وقيل: المراد بالإنسان هو الكافر، فعلى هذا يكون عامًّا أريد به الخاص، والأظهر أن المراد به العموم، وأن جنس الإنسان لولا هداية الله لكان كنوداً لربه ﷿، والكنود هو الكفر، أي كافر لنعمة الله ﷿، يرزقه الله ﷿ فيزداد بهذا الرزق عتواً ونفوراً، فإن من الناس من يطغى إذا رآه قد استغنى عن الله، وما أكثر ما أفسد الغنى من بني آدم فهو كفور بنعمة الله ﷿، يجحد نعمة الله، ولا يقوم بشكرها، ولا يقوم بطاعة الله لأنه كنود لنعمة الله. ﴿وإنه على ذلك لشهيد﴾ ﴿إنه﴾ الضمير قيل: يعود على الله، أي أن الله تعالى يشهد على العبد بأنه كفور لنعمة الله. وقيل: إنه عائد على الإنسان نفسه، أي أن الإنسان يشهد على نفسه بكفر نعمة الله ﷿. والصواب أن الآية شاملة لهذا وهذا، فالله شهيد على ما في قلب ابن آدم، وشهيد على عمله، والإنسان أيضاً شهيد على نفسه، لكن قد يقر بهذه الشهادة في الدنيا، وقد لا يقر بها فيشهد على نفسه يوم القيامة كما قال تعالى: ﴿يوم تشهد عليهم ألسنتهم وأيديهم وأرجلهم بما كانوا يعملون﴾ [النور: ٢٤] . ﴿وإنه﴾ أي الإنسان ﴿لحب الخير لشديد﴾ الخير هو المال كما قال الله تعالى ﴿كتب عليكم إذا حضر أحدكم الموت إن ترك خيراً الوصية﴾ [البقرة: ١٨٠] . أي: إن ترك مالاً كثيراً. فالخير هو المال، والإنسان حبه للمال أمر ظاهر، قال الله تعالى: ﴿وتحبون المال